Ansford Academy
Academy converter · 469 pupils
79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.7
Other independent school · independent
Downside School
- Pupils on roll
- 249of 420 places
- Free school meals
- —
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 59
- Ofsted
- Not covered by Ofsted school inspections
What the data says
The Department for Education has not published where Downside School’s Year 11 leavers went next (destination measures are not published for independent schools), so this page relies on the school’s results and subjects.
Religious Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 71% of the year group took it, against 31% of pupils across England.
A level grades average C+, around the England average of B-. The largest A level subjects are Economics, Mathematics and Physics.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Somerset and England.
The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Downside School | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 32.7 | 43.5 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | 40% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 0% | 61% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 31% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.32 | 3.78 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | — | 21% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | — | 30.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | — | 47.0 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | — | 9% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Religious Studies | 42 | 71% | 31% | 62% | 32% | 93% |
| Combined Science | 28 | 47% | 65% | 18% | 9% | 89% |
| Geography | 27 | 46% | 41% | 56% | 25% | 100% |
| History | 24 | 41% | 41% | 33% | 26% | 88% |
| Biology | 23 | 39% | 23% | 65% | 45% | 96% |
| Physics | 22 | 37% | 23% | 91% | 46% | 100% |
| Spanish | 22 | 37% | 19% | 73% | 27% | 100% |
| Chemistry | 22 | 37% | 23% | 73% | 47% | 100% |
| French | 15 | 25% | 18% | 87% | 29% | 100% |
| Physical Education | 14 | 24% | 11% | 7% | 24% | 86% |
| German | 13 | 22% | 5% | 54% | 33% | 92% |
| Fine Art | 11 | 19% | 9% | 73% | 28% | 100% |
| Design and Technology | 10 | 17% | 11% | 40% | 23% | 100% |
| Music | 10 | 17% | 5% | 20% | 33% | 90% |
| Computer Science | 9 | 15% | 13% | 89% | 30% | 100% |
| Latin | 5 | 8% | 1% | — | 74% | — |
| Drama | 5 | 8% | 7% | — | 27% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music performance: Group | 1 | 2% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 1 | 2% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Downside School | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 108 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 43 | 1,831 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 33.84 | 33.81 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 21% | 12% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 12 | 28% | 13% |
| Mathematics | 11 | 26% | 31% |
| Physics | 8 | 19% | 12% |
| Biology | 7 | 16% | 20% |
| Product Design | 6 | 14% | 2% |
| Religious Studies | 6 | 14% | 4% |
| Fine Art | 6 | 14% | 3% |
| English Literature | 6 | 14% | 11% |
| Spanish | — | — | 2% |
| Chemistry | — | — | 17% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| History | — | — | 13% |
| History of Art | — | — | 0% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
| Polish | — | — | 0% |
| Psychology | — | — | 23% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 9 | 21% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Somerset
Bishop Fox's School
Academy converter · 1,123 pupils
88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9
Bridgwater College Academy
Academy sponsor led · 1,561 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 31.9
Brymore Academy
Academy sponsor led · 327 pupils
74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.0
Buckler's Mead School
Academy converter · 812 pupils
83% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.5
Chilton Trinity School
Academy converter · 990 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.0
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.